pick up two guys tonight....

[cforand1293]

Well here is the story. I was on my way home from watching the cowboys game. I came across 2 guys pushing a car down the road. They looked to be having a very hard time so I thought I might be able to help. I stopped and offered my help they seemed happy to see me. Both guys looked like people that you wouldn't normal stop and help. I got a tow rope out of my truck and towed them about a 1/2 mile. Thinking I was done I said anything else guys and they both asked for a ride. Now it has been a long time since I have given rides to anyone. I had a friend of mine who was a used car sales man that was killed giving a test ride. So I am not really thinking this is a good idea.

At this point we are in the middle of no where and I said sure. As they were getting there stuff ready I went to my truck and got my....Bryco 380 out.. Now hold on before you rip me... I have a Glock 23 that i carry 99.% of the time, but I left the house tonight and just flat forgot to grab it. So the two guys get into my truck and one is in the front and one is in the back. We start driving and I think to myself, if something happens I have a piece of crap to defend myself. I could not really see the guy in the back seat, but I talked them to death so I could keep looking at them. I was very uneasy and dont think I'll do it again, but I trust in God and everything turned out fine. The Bryco is a gun that I have had for years. I bought it from a guy who was hard up for cash and paid 50 bucks for it. It stays in my truck all the time. I am glade that I didn't have to test it, because I am sure that it would have not turned out good. I have had my CHL for about a month, and am unemployed right now, but as soon as I can the bryco will be retired and I will up grade my truck gun...

[Carrots]

Good on you, it is nice to see that there are still some of us out there who can rise above the blanket paranoia that has become all too common on these pages recently, have a little faith and then go on to act without selfish indifference. Having been on the receiving end of the kindness of strangers myself in a situation not to dissimilar to this I for one will salute you. You will undoubtedly be chastised here for lowering your guard, but for me it is nice to see that perspective and compassion can occasionally compliment the carrying of a pistol. The bogey man isn't everywhere just yet, and good deeds are things that we should all do a little more often

[03Lightningrocks]

Good on you, it is nice to see that there are still some of us out there who can rise above the blanket paranoia that has become all too common on these pages recently, have a little faith and then go on to act without selfish indifference. Having been on the receiving end of the kindness of strangers myself in a situation not to dissimilar to this I for one will salute you. You will undoubtedly be chastised here for lowering your guard, but for me it is nice to see that perspective and compassion can occasionally compliment the carrying of a pistol. The bogey man isn't everywhere just yet, and good deeds are things that we should all do a little more often

Wow...you don't appear to think highly of your fellow TexasCHLforum members.

[Carrots]

I'm not going to be baited Mr Rocks, I just call them like I see them. There have been some very threads and posts around here lately in MO, but thankfully this is not a thread about who or what Mr Carrots is at but a thread about someone doing something nice for somebody and then reporting it here. That makes for a nice change and is worthy of a brief trip above the parapet. Now shouldn't you be out pistol whipping a bum or otherwise flexing your mean man muscles someplace?

[03Lightningrocks]

I'm not going to be baited Mr Rocks, I just call them like I see them. There have been some very threads and posts around here lately in MO, but thankfully this is not a thread about who or what Mr Carrots is at but a thread about someone doing something nice for somebody and then reporting it here. That makes for a nice change and is worthy of a brief trip above the parapet. Now shouldn't you be out pistol whipping a bum or otherwise flexing your mean man muscles someplace?

No...you have the wrong guy. I just say mean things to them. That was the other guy that punches them out. By the by....you were not being baited. Just an interesting observation I made about your post.

[Carrots]

Your original observation implied a generalisation that I deliberately did not make and I may have misunderstood your intent. Suffice to say that much like the world nothing gets a blanket high regard in my book. Some is not all, and I may have misinterpreted your misinterpretation of my comments.
Rambo was a playful poke & nothing more but reading that PM perhaps I was the one that hit a nerve. Nevertheless no harm no foul, and I am still glad that the OP managed to do a good deed without having to shoot someone and that you only talk mean to societies unfortunates.
What a wonderful world

[03Lightningrocks]

It just seemed you made some generalizations about the forum as a whole that in my opinion aren't based in reality. Yeah...I am sure there are a few posts here and there where maybe some over reaction is being talked about, but I think of it like therapy. Folks who post here have different ideas of how to handle different situations. They get posted and knocked around a bit, but I don't think it is worthy of being called paranoid.

Maybe I misread the tone of your response. But as you said...It is cool that a guy did a good deed for two guys in trouble.

[03Lightningrocks]

I am still glad that the OP managed to do a good deed without having to shoot someone and that you only talk mean to societies unfortunates.
What a wonderful world

...OK...that was funny. Rest assured...so far anyway...my aggressive "GET AWAY FROM ME" statement keeps me from having to beat up a street person.

[dac1842]

No one should second guess what you did. You were the good samaritan and it worked out well for you. Would I have done it? Probably not, my dad was the good samaritan several years ago and was robbed and stabbed for it. He lived, but the experience was one that has remained with me.
Not everyone out there is going to do us harm. The innocent looking female at your front door could be a girl scout or it could be a set up for a home invasion, you cannot live in a constant state of paranoia.

As far is the type of weapon you had, dont sweat it. If it goes bang, and inflicts pain then that is all you can ask. I can kill you just as dead with a .22 or a .40 just a matter of placement.

Good job.

[Y2bad4u]

We still got to be good people. we got to do what we can to make the world better, but also we have to protect ourselves. It's a judgment call based on your feelings and the situation. Its good to see someone helping out another. I probably wouldn't unless I was armed. But I still would. One way we try to help strangers is when we go out to eat. The waitstaff live off of the tips they make.

Last year around the holidays my girlfriend and I were out at Olive Garden and had this young guy who was super nice and a real good waiter. When we were done eating I think our bill was like 40 bucks. So I told my girlfriend we should leave a big tip. She was like what 10, 15 bucks, and I said how about 40. So we did and she got so embarrassed that she tried to hurry us out of there before he noticed. It was funny but I was finishing off my drink and the waiter came back and was like sir you made a mistake. I said, no you earned it. Your a good waiter. That made that dudes day, actually I think he said that made his year. We felt so good seeing how happy he was. I know alot of people can't do it, but it makes you feel good to help out. Its good for you as a person.

I don't trust alot of people, almost 10 yrs working in the state pen does that to you, but I try to help when I feel safe to do so. I expect other good people to do the same.

[Keith B]

I agree with Carrots and others on this. Kindness goes a long way and cforand1293 did a good dead.

Just telling everyone to get away from you is a poor way to go through life. Panicking and thinking everyone that either approaches you, or looks like they need help, is up to no good is silly. Besides, paranoia is one of the early signs of Alzheimer's (but I can't remember the other signs. )

You have to size up every situation and determine if it feels right. Could those guys have been using the 'push the dead car scheme' as bait to lure someone in? Sure, but there are a lot more out there that seriously need assistance. Sometimes you just have to use your head, keep your wits about you and go with your gut on what to do in these types of scenarios. 99.99% of the time you will be fine; for that other .01%, you have your CHL.

[karder]

It is God's will that we help our fellow man. If you carry a gun, you will get a lot more opportunities to do God's will!

[arnoldstrong]

You did the right thing. There's something to be said about that. It's pretty rare these days.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've often wondered about how I would react in such situations. I used to pickup hitchhikers without regard to safety back in the '60s and '70s. I stopped picking them up about the same time I stopped using it myself as a mode of transportation. But all the time I did it, the worst that ever happened to me was a couple of different times when a driver too interested in the male gender made unwanted advances on me, and I jumped out at the first opportunity. I never had a passenger that I picked up back then give me any trouble at all. But times have changed, and it's not crazy to worry about picking up strangers anymore. There does seem to be more random violence in the world these days. That said, I have stopped on a number of occasions since that time for someone who appeared to be having road trouble, and with one exception, they were fine and didn't need any help. The one exception was a woman whose car broke down in the left emergency lane of a Los Angeles freeway. I called AAA for her, and left when they got there. I pay attention to my spidey sense as I'm rolling up, and if it tingles, I keep on rolling.

I have given money to people in gas stations at night, but never any significant amount. The Bible makes mention of treating strangers well for we never know but that we might be showing hospitality to an angel. However, I haven't given money to strangers in gas stations in the past almost 2 years now that I've had my CHL. But that has more to do with living in an affluent area without a lot of bums hanging around. There was one time when I waved a guy off because he startled my wife and scared her because he was persistent. But I also spent 2 years as the worship leader for a homeless ministry back in California, and I'm not so blind to the facts of homelessness not to recognize that many are indeed bums. They are homeless because of the choices they've made in life, not because they are victims of an uncaring world. Many have become homeless despite the best efforts of their families and friends to try and keep them from descending into homelessness. So, would I give money to someone in a gas station today? Possibly. It would depend on my spidey sense.

I think the OP did the right thing by helping those two folks, but agree that he should be more careful to arm himself with a reliable weapon if he's going to go through the "trouble" of being armed.

[cforand1293]

I think the OP did the right thing by helping those two folks, but agree that he should be more careful to arm himself with a reliable weapon if he's going to go through the "trouble" of being armed.

I agree...I need a better gun in the truck... Just as soon as i find work i'm all over it.... Sometimes you just have to trust God and know that he is in control.

BTW The Annoyed Man, are you sure that you haven't spent the past few years chasing whale hunters... man you look like that guy....hahah.. thanks for the positive words...


cforand